Heaton delighted by solid foundations

Spurs have scored more goals this calendar year than any other side, with Harry Kane leading the way.

But the Clarets shut Mauricio Pochettino’s side out, and might have won the game themselves had they taken their chances.

Heaton said: “They’re a top side but I thought we were excellent from the first whistle to the last.

“There is an element of disappointment not to win it, but it’s another good point on the board and we keep moving forward.

“In terms of what I saw in front of me it was outstanding defensively. We kept a lot of very good individual players and a very good attacking team quiet.

“They’ve scored a lot of goals this season but it was a superb performance from back to front in terms of negating them and also impacting our game on them in an attacking sense.”

Michael Duff was named man of the match by Gary Neville on Sky, and Heaton praised a team effort in a second clean sheet in three games: “Duffo was excellent again, as were the whole back four and the lads in front of them in terms of the framework of the team and the system we played to, it was very good.

“It’s great to be back to that framework, we went a long time without keeping a clean sheet, we kept one against City and another against Tottenham, so it builds very good foundations to play from.”

Burnley have one goal in five games, but are looking hard to break down again, and Heaton added: “It’s a balance between the two, as with most things in life, it’s important that you keep the back door shut but try and create as many openings as you can.

“Sometimes if you go too much for one you reduce your chances of the other, it’s finding that balance and on Sunday we created some great chances and going forward we’ll take one.

“We know what the quality is at this level and there was a spell where we found we were getting hurt on minor things, we were doing one slight thing wrong in a game and getting hurt, but we’ve tightened those up, Sunday is a great example of that, it was a superb defensive display.

“We’re going to need it again next weekend against Arsenal. It’s another good game, but what a fantastic opportunity.”